Welcome to 
Welcome to my HOMEPAGE MAY 1st 2023
I must apologise that it is well over a year since my last Homepage, so I can only mention a few works which have aroused my enthusiasm in the last year.
Since March 2022 Hilary and I have attended both WASBE in Prague and CBDNA in Athens, Georgia, and I was fortunate to be able to present an account of forty years of commissions, performances, publications and recordings in UK, with a booklet Making it Better. If anyone wants a copy digitally, please email or message me your email.
Since the death of our third son William in 2001 Hilary and I have commissioned over 30 works for wind ensemble, a series which has ended with two fine works by Luis Serrano Alarcon, the Cello Concerto which I commissioned and a second work gifted by Luis. My second son was hoping to hear the premiere in October 2021 but he died in August. A year later Luis came to London for the UK premiere bringing this short elegy The Unknown Friend
THE UNKNOWN FRIEND by LUIS SERRANO ALARCON
2222:4:43311:P T 4P Cb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HtuJCU2Ces
It is a masterpiece, full of intense sentiment without being sentimental, the perfect Grade 4 elegy at 4.30 minutes long. Dedicated by Luis to my second son, Matthew, premiered on 10th July
CELLO CONCERTO by LUIS SERRANO ALARCON
3333:4331:P T 4P
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4VILOFrB4c
Both works available from Luis info@alarconmusic.com
2 NEW CHAMBER ENSEMBLE WORKS
Jose Rafael Pascual Vila-Plana
FIVE BAGATELLES Instrumentation 1111:2111
https://soundcloud.com/spanishbrass/5-bagatelles-jose-rafael-pascual-vila-plana
This is a brilliant, very funny sixteen-minute work for wind quintet and brass quintet, with amusing quotations from a wide range of composers, including Beethoven, Wagner, Grieg, Strauss and Hindemith.
Christopher Coleman
CHRYSALIS: IN MEMORIAM OLIVIER MESSIAEN (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew2tpFIBsXg
Instrumentation flute, alto flute, oboe, English horn, 2 Bb clarinets, bass clarinet/Bb clarinet, contrabass clarinet/Bb clarinet 2 bassoons, contrabassoon
duration ca. 11:10 available from the composer
A brilliantly scored, emotional tribute to Olivier Messiaen by the Hong Kong based composer, Christopher Coleman.
3 WORKS FOR THE SAME INSTRUMENTATION AS Mozart’s GRAN PARTITA
Richard Strauss: SUITE FROM DER ROSENKAVALIER
(1) Richard Strauss / Nigel Shore: Der Rosenkavalier - Harmoniemusik - YouTube
An incredible arrangement superbly scored for wind ensemble by former principal oboist with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Nigel Shore, a 50 minute suite for 15 players, the same scoring as Mozart 13 plus 2 flutes. On hire from Schotts
Eleanor Alberga: NIGHTSCAPE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCgATMt53tk&t=423s
scores@eleanoralberga.com write for information on hiring score and parts
00:11 Sundown 08:25 Cicadas, tree-frogs, crickets, party-goers, geckos, dogs, burglars and other nocturnal creatures 13:58 Into the arms of Morpheus? 20:57 Br'er Fox and the Dancing Ghosts
Eleanor Alberga was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She studied music at Jamaica School of Music and in 1970 she won the biennial West Indian Associated Board Scholarship which allowed her to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London
Gary Carpenter PANTOMIME
https://soundcloud.com/gary-carpenter/sets/pantomime-for-13-winds
Gary Carpenter writes:
'Much of the material of Pantomime is derived from the music I wrote for the Unicorn Children's Theatre1994/95 Christmas musical play Aladdin (book by Andy Rashleigh). This little divertimento like the original show attempts to invoke the shadowy and half-forgotten world of smoky Music Halls Vaudeville Burlesque and their later often televisual incarnations.'
Full score only available from Camden of the Woodwind ensemble version of this popular concert work originally written (CM141) for the same combination of 13 wind instruments as Mozart's famous Serenade in Bb. Here the 4 Horns are replaced by Saxophones the Basset Horns by Clarinet and Bass Clarinet and the Double Bass by Contra Bassoon. It's known as the 'Prague' version because it was written for a recording of Woodwind Orchestra music recorded in Prague as part of a project put together by conductor Shea Lolin and composer Christopher Hussey.
5 NEW WIND ORCHESTRA WORKS
I am sad that Michael Haithcock has retired. Each semester he used to mail me videos of his latest new works, and below are four, plus one from Paula Holcomb in Fredonia.
Augusta Read Thomas “Crackle"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF56Z4Xl8Uc
2+picc.2+eh.Ebcl(optional)2+bcl.2+cbn.alto sax.tenor sax./4.3.2+btbn.1/timp./4perc/ hp/cel/bass
Premiered by The University of Michigan Wind Ensemble conducted by Michael Haithcock at the University of Michigan, 22 October 2021
Duration: 11 minutes
Shuying Li, "Kung Fu"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZMKdpARrzg&t=48s
University of Michigan Symphony Band Kung Fu (2019) Shuying Li premiere performance 1. Wushu Spirit 2. Tai-chi 3. Jianghu Michael Haithcock, conductor September 24, 2021 Hill Auditorium University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
Evan Chambers, "Crazed to the Flame”
2fl(2dblpicc), ob, cl(dbleflat), bsn, sop.sax, alto sax, tenor sax, tenor sax, 2hrn, tpt, btrb, 2perc, harp, string bass - Duration -10'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVPi6F4OrW4
Lindsey Bronnenkant “Tarot”
University of Michigan Symphony Band Tarot (2021) Lindsay Bronnenkant 1. The Fool 00:00 2. The King of Cups 03:55 3. The Tower 11:26 Michael Haithcock, conductor November 17, 2022 Hill Auditorium University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QAjSGwDB1M
Augusta Reed Thomas, “Carnival”: Bassoon Concerto for solo bassoon and wind ensemble
DATE OF WORLD PREMIERE:
APRIL 30, 2022 [recorded on May 1, 2022]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51sfJjjfUgA
World Premiere of CARNIVAL: BASSOON CONCERTO for solo bassoon and wind ensemble, Nadina Mackie Jackson playing Blue Bell, solo bassoon, Dr. Paula Holcomb, conducting. https://www.augustareadthomas.com/
A SELECTION OF 3 WORKS FROM CBDNA 2023
CBDNA conference was as usual a superbly run series of concerts, with sensational performances of a lot of new music. Three outstanding works are available online, Mulitiverse by Clarise Assad, Spanish Dances by Luis Serrano Alarcon, and Ascendant Cycles by Peter Van Zandt Lane and hip-hop artist Linqua Franqa
Clarice Assad, Multiverse
The rite of spring is a ballet composed by Igor Stravinsky and first performed in 1913. It is a story based on a pagan ritual in which a young maiden girl is sacrificed to the god of spring. In the 1913 ballet, she dances herself to death. However, MULTIVERSE, Another Rite of Spring explores a version of the story in alternate dimensions, where similar rituals coincide, experienced through the eyes of the sacrificed maiden, who lives in a completely different reality than her other counterparts. Who is this girl? Where is she? Will she dance herself to death? The answers to these questions are all in the music:
Luis Serrano Alarcon: Spanish Dances
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hbi9M589-w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAoo7kXX4o8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSSijyAz9e8
Alarcon’s Spanish Dances (Book I) is the first instalment of a larger suite that will explore the rich and varied traditions of Spanish music and was for me one of the outstanding works this year. These settings are not intended as authentic presentations, rather the composer has taken the essence of each style (rhythm, tempo, melodic character, structure, etc.) as inspiration to explore its possibilities through his own language and musical aesthetic. Inspired by Albeniz's masterpiece Iberia, this suite will eventually consist of twelve pieces separated into four books with three pieces in each.
Peter Van Zandt Lane & Linqua Franqa, Ascendant Cycles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfICRvzRego
The three-movement work combines technical and stylistic traits of hip-hop, wind ensemble repertoire, and experimental music to portray a poetic narrative of Linqua Franqa’s work as an activist. Ascendant Cycles is rooted in the notion of social progress being achieved only by continuous effort and cyclical struggle.
Another work by Peter Van Zandt Lane is worth bringing to everyone’s attention, Chansonnier - 3 chansons by Josquin Desprez (c. 1455-1521) transcribed and elaborated by Peter Van Zandt Lane
Peter Van Zandt Lane; Chansonnier
TWO WEBSITES OF EUROPEAN REPERTOIRE
FROM FINLAND
Sami Ruusuvuon writes: sami.ruusuvuori@gmail.com
I have collected a list of significant European symphonic wind band music works from the 20th century to the present day. My source of information has been wind music professionals from various countries, conductors, sheet music publishers, recordings and literature. My aim was not to list the thousands of European wind band compositions but to choose the most representative, interesting compositions from different countries that would spur interest. My criteria specified that the work was composed between the early 20th century and the present day, was published and is available online. My ambition is to keep completing the catalogue, so I would be happy to receive suggestions by email at sami.ruusuvuori@gmail.com https://en.samiruusuvuori.com/teosluettelo-1
FROM GERMANY
Alexandra writes:
I would be very happy, if you share the links of Blasmusikblog.com with your readers, students and friends. Thank you!
German, Austrian and Swiss Repertoire
Visit the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles website